Grab-bucket



2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Feb F. H. WILLIAMS.

GRAB BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1918.

0 0 0 O U 0 O 0 0 0 O O 0 0 I t 0 a u 0 O n u v 0 0 I... 0 0 4 f 0 OI\JW\ m W m w z 0 0 w o 2 T O m A 0 0L rm oooooooooooooo O O O O O O O O O O O O O O R mm W hr R mm o v \M mN WTHNW m N j NM m m H F. H. WILLIAMS.

GRAB BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 191B.

' 1,329,868. Patented Feb. 3,1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- Jzv VENT A 2' TOR/wry UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. WILLIAMS, OF BUFFALO, NEW' YORK.

GRAB-BUCKET.

menses.

Application filed June 18, 1918.

To all M/tO/JL it may concern.

' lie it known that l, FRANK H. "Wrrmnmrs, a citizen the United States of America,

and a resident of the cit of Bufialo, county of Erie, and State of New York, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Grab-Buckets, of which the following a full, clear, and exact description.

i invention relates generally to grab buc .ts and more particularly to means for holding the segments of the bucket open when the same are lowered upon the material being handled.

The principal object of my invention has been to provide a holding means which would be simple in its construction, of few parts, and cheap to manufacture.

Another object has been to provide a device which shall be entirely automatic in its operation and one which requires no additional lines or mauuall operated devicesfor its actuation.

Furthmauore, my device is'ofsuch a compact design that it has no parts projecting beyond the bucket to strike the hatchways a vessel. when unloading the same.

The above objects and advantages have been accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawings, of which:

. l igure 1 is a side elevation of a single line bucket provided with my holding means.

2 is an end elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the holding means.

Fig. a is a sectional view taken on line i of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 to 11, inclusive, show modified forms of latching devices for the holding means.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to L, inclusive, 15 and 16 are the bucket segments, each being pro vided with a trunnion plate 17 and 18, respectively. at each side thereoi. These trunnion plates are pivotall mounted on the trunnion pins IQcarried by the lower sheave block casing 2-0. The outer ends of the bucket segments are carried by means of the links 521 which are pivotally secured at their lower ends to the corners of the bucket segments and at their upper ends to a central pivot pin carried by the head 23.

24: is the single line which passes around the sheaves of the head 23 and the lower sl'ieave block casing 20, and to the bucket Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1 929.

Serial No. 240,615.

vention, and, therefore, are not shown or described. Equalizer links 25 are provided at each side of the bucket and connect the trunnion plates 17 and 18, whereby the bucket segments are given equal velocities of rotation about their trunnion pins, where the bucket is opened or closed. Y

A latch bar 26 is pivoted at one endnear to the outer edge of the bucket segment to. 27 is a keeper bar, whichpreferably comprises two members 28 and 29 arranged. adjacent each other in interspacedrelation. One end of this keeper bar is pivotally connected near the outer edge of the segment 15. The free end of the latch bar 26 is arranged in the space between the members 28 and 29 oi the keeper bar 27, and has a shoulder 30 formed near its free end. At each side 01 the extreme end of this latch bar is provided a laterally projecting lug.

31, which is arranged to slide upon the upper surfaces of the member-s28 and 29 oithe keeper bar. The keeper bar provided at its free end with separator 32, which is arranged between the members 28, and 2-9 thereof and slides on top of'the latch bar 26. By this arrangement, when the bucket is fully open, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, these two bars lie in almost parallel, horizontal. planes. So as to pre: vent the further opening of the buckets, the end 45 of the keeper bar is formed at substantially right angles with its bottom face and is arranged to bear againststop plates 33, preferably forming the pivoted en d of the latch bar 26.

Near the pivoted end of the keeperbar is arranged the latch mechanisnji of my device. A U-shaped casing Eli/is arranged about the members 28 and 29 with the open side of the casing disposed. upwardly. This casing acts as a stop for the mechanism and also protects the same. Arranged in the space between the members 28 and 29 of the keeper bar is the latch 35 of my device.

This latch is pivoted at 36 to the members amount of upward travel of the latch is permitted by the engagement of these flanges with the under ed es of the 1nen1- here 28 and 29 01 the keeper bar. At the end of the latch, opposite its pivotal con nection, is provided a shouleer 38, which is the latch 35 and disposed preferably beneath 43 is a pivot the shoulder 88 thereof.

bracketffor the keeper bar, which is rigidly table therewith.

Zofthe bar will have fallen in front of the secured to the'bucket segment 15 and rota- This bracket is disposed between the lneinbers 28 and 29 of the keeper bar and is formed with a earn 44 on gageable with the weighted arm 41 of t shown in Fig. 3' and the bucket is' being closed.

When the bucket is being opened, the free ends of the latch bar and the keeper bar willbei orced away from each other; and the free end of the latch bar will approach and more over the'top of the latch 35 (in its elevated position) until. the motion is stopped by the engagement of the end e5 of the keeper bar with the stop plates 33 01 the latch bar; i hen in this position, the shoulder 30 of the latch bar will have passed the shoulder 38 of the latch, and the shoulc er so the latch. Nhen the shoulder 38 of line 241- is taken up, the shoulder 30 will rotate the latch upon its pivot until it.

keeper bar-"27. When the latch is elevated bar will be drawn into enof the" late] h the shoulder 38 oil.

gage-merit i.

and the engagement of these shoulders wil prevent the bucket from closing. tl shoulder 38 of the latch is above the pivotal pointthereoi, the poll of the lat-ch bar 26 flanges 3? engage with the under side of the it'will release the engagement of the catch l0 of the trigger 39 with the hook 452 o the latch, and permit the trigger the position shown in 3. When th bucket is open, the cam will have tated to the position shown this figure, which position it will permit the trigger to fall when released. l Vhen the parts are the position above described, the bucket maybe raised or lowered at willv I i; its-open P OIL' and 1t will reinaln open, suspended by the line 2d, until the tension on the line is released by lowering the bucket Upon the lips of its'seginents. Y Vhen so lowered, the segments will open slightly. thus releas the engagement ofthe shoulders 30 and '38, and permitting the latch 35 118 I trigger, when the parts are in the position the l1 latch, {dotted line position Fig. 1) are shown by the dotted lines in 0.

to fall l 1,329,ees

to drop to the position shown in Fig. 8. In this position, the shoulder 38 of the latch will be below the upper edge of the members 28 and 29 of the keeper bar, and perinit the free end of the latch bar to move and keeper bar-will be drawn toward each other; and, as the bucket segment 15 rotates, the cara l will contact with the weighted arin ell of the trigger 89 and rotate it upon its pivot. When'the bucket segments are partly closed, the trigger will have been moved to the closed position of the bucket and its parts as shown in Fig. 1. During this movement, the trigger will raise the latch and the catch 40 will engage with the hook 42 of the latch 35, and the latch thereby held in its elevated position an near to the end of its maximum upward movement. In this position of the latch, shoulder 38 will project above the upper surfaces of the members 28 and 29 of the keepr bar and be in a position to again engage with the shoulder 30 of the latch. bar, when the bucket is again opened and raised.

Fig. 5 shows a fragmentary view of a modified form "or latch means, and Fig. 6 shows a view of the same means in a difien ent position. rig. 5 shows the parts in the position they occupy when the bucket is closed, and Fig. 6 shows, in full lines, the posi ..on oi'f the parts when the bucket is beheld open and suspended from the line The positions occupied by the parts when he segments are ready to be closed latch bar, 5l'the pivoted end reaper hm, only one member thereof shown. The latch bar in this form is noaided with lateral lugs c9 and with s- .ilder 53. 54 is the latch which is pivmounted between theineinbers of the bar, and it is provided at its free 1 a shoulder 55 which is engageable with the shoulder of the latch bar. Lats 68, engageahle with the under l I side o't t is keeper bar, are also provided on the latch.

in this modificabell-crank lever. ding arm 57 and The trigger tion is in the to n of a having an ontwa e a downwardly exten v 111 58. It is pivotedat 59, within a recess60 out into the f end of the latch. A shonlderfil is provided for limiting the upward travel of the trigger, and a shoulder 62 for limiting the downward travel the trigger. Arranged about. the nieinh s of the keeper at the point where the trig, islocated, is a it shaped casing 68, which has its bottom wall 64 arranged at an angle with the edges Of the keeper bar, A stop is arranged at one end of the casing. and is provided with a shoulder 66 which is engagealole with. the end of the. triggerarm 5 8. 67 is the cam, which is rotatable with the bucket segment.

When the arts are as shown in Fig. and the bucket segments are being opened, it will. be seen that the weight of the latch 5% will keep the arm 57 of the trigger 56 against the cam 67, so that the arm 58 of the trigger will'conie into engageinentwith the surface 66 of the stop 65. When these surfaces are in engagement, they will keep the parts in the position shown in Fig. 6. (full lines) until the trigger is released from the surface 66. As the bucket segments continue to open, the latch bar 56 will move toward and along the top edge of the latch 5% until its shoulder 53 has passed the shoulder 55 of the latch When the line 2% is taken" up, the shoulders 53 and will come into en gagement and the pull on the latch bar 50 will slightly raise the free end of the latch 54L until its flanges68 engage wit; he under side of the keeper bar 51. This movement will release the end 58 of the trigger from engagement with the surface 66 of the stop and allow the trigger to drop against the stop 62. When the trigger is in this position, and the pull of the latch bar 50 is re leased, the latch 5a and trigger will fall into the position shown in dotted lines (Fig. 6). When the bucket segments are being closed, the latch bar will pass over the top of the latch without engaging therewith, and the cam 67 will engage with the trigger arm 57 and move the arm 68 thereof against the side of the stop 65. Continued rotation of the cam, in closing the bucket, will move the latch 5d and the trigger to the position where the arm 58 will clear the upper edge of the stop 66, at which time it will be free toswing to the position shown in 5, Where the arm 57 thereof will bear against the stop 61.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings, the'parts oil? the modification there shown are in the positions they occupy when the bucket segments are closed. In Fig. 8, the lull lines show the positions occupied hv the parts when the bucket is being held open. and SllS}')11(lOtl from the line 24-. a The dotted lines 0% this figure show the positions of the parts when the latch is released. 70 is the latch bar, having lateral lugs 71 and a shoulder 73 is the keeper bar (only one member thereof being shown). 74- is the latch and 7 5 is the trigger, each pivotally mounted between the members of the keeper bar. Arranged between the latch and the trigger is a keeper 7 6, also pivotally attached to the keeper bar. The latch in this form is provided. on its free end with a projection 77', the upper surface of which lies some dis 84, and its pivot is so disposed as to make thls last nent1oned arn oi the trigger 85 is the heavier than the opposite ill'lll. cam which is secured to. and rotatable with one of the bucket segments. 3 lJ-shaped casing 86 provided for inclosing these parts. A stop 87 is carried by the casing for limiting the downward" motion of the latch 74;. l i

lVhen the bucket segments are being opened, the keeper 7 6 'ill retainthe trigger in the position shown in. Fig. 7, even though. the cam moves away from-the arm 84: thereof. lVhen the segments are open, the weighted arm 79 of the keeper lies below the upper surface of the keeper bar. so

that as the shoulder 72 ofthe latch. bar-70 passes the shoulder78-of the latch, it will i fall in between the members of the keeper bar and he in such a position that when the line 24: is taken up, the shoulders 72and 78 will engage. When so engaged, the latch will be raised to the position shown in Hi 8 and, as its projecti0n77 in engagement with the shoulder of ths keeper, the keeper will alsobe raised until its flanges Bl engage with the lower edges of the keeper bar. lVheninthis position, a. fuither upward movement of the latch or keeper-is thus prevented. When the keeper is movedto the position just described, or that shown in Fig.6, it will be seen that. the arm 82 will have moved out of. engagement with. the arm .83. of the trigger, thus allowing. the heavier end 8st ofthetrigger to fallto the positionin F 8. When the pullof the latch arm 70 isnow released, the latch 74: will fall to the dotted line position of l 6. It will be seen, however, that the surface 88 of the arm will engage with the arm 82. of the keeper and thus nia-iinzain its weighted arm 79 in tle position shown. When the keeper is in this position, the free end of the latch bar will slide along itsup per surface and thus be prevented from dropping down between ,theineinbers of the keeper bar and. again engaging with the shoulder 78 of the latch. Then the bucket segments are being closed, the cam will again restore the trigger to a position where the arn1u82 of the keeper can move over the top of the arm 83 of the trigger as shown in o ' latch.

in Fig. 7, and thus reset the parts for reengagement with the latch bar.

In the form of levice shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11, 90 is the latch arm having a shoulder 91 and lateral lugs 92, and108 is the keeper bar. 93 is the trigger which is provided with a weighted arm 9'11, engageable with the cam 95. The opposite end 96 of the trigger is provided with a surface 97 and a shoulder 98. 99 is the latch, which is bell-crank in form, having an upwardly extending latch arm 100, providing a shoulder 106, and an outwardly extending arm 101. A stud 102, having ahead 103, is slidably arranged in the arm 101 of the Between the head of the stud and the latch is a helical spring 104:, and an ad just-ing nut 105 is provided for the threaded end of the stud, whereby the relative height of the head 103 may beadjusted. ALU- shaped casing 107 is also provided for this form or" my invention.

In Fig. 9, the parts are shown in the po-- sitions which they occupy when the bucket is opened. It will be noted from this figs ure, that the weighted arm 94: of the trigger is not in contact with the cam 95. 'When the line 24; istaken up, the shoulder 91 of the latch arm will engage with'the shoulder 106 ofthe latch and rotate the same about its pivot. During this rotation, the head 103 of the stud being in contact with the under side of the latch arm, the spring 104 will be compressed, as shown in Fig. 10. The surface of the shoulders 91 and 106 are so proportioned that the coeificient of friction between them is such that the surfaces ,will remain engaged against the force of the spring whichhas a tendency to separate them. When the spring is fully compressed and the latch has moved to its maximum upward position, its end 101 will have moved over the surface97 of the trigger, and when the end 101 moves past the shoulder 98, the trigger will be rotated upon its pivot by gravity and will occupy the position shown in Fig. '10, with the shoulder 98'beneath the end 101v of the latch. When the bucket is lowered, and the pull of the latch bar 90 is released, the frictionalengagement of the shoulders 91 and 106 will also be released. The spring 104 will then expand and raise the free end of the latch bar to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10, where the shoulder 91 will pass over the shoulder 106 without engagement therewith, when the bucket is closed. As the bucket is closing, the cam 95 will rotate the trigger 98 until its shoulder 98 has moved out of engagement with the end 101 of the latch. This will release the latch and permit it to fall to its lowermost positiomas shown in Figs. 9 and 11, in which position it will again engagewith the shoulder of open position.

the latch bar when the bucket is opened and the line 24 tightened up.

While I have described my holding means applied to the type of bucket. shown in the drawings,it may be used with any type of tails herein shown and described may be made, and many other forms of latching device may be used without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims; and, therefore, I do notwish to be limited to the exact embodiment herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim is:

1. In a grab bucket, the combinatiomwith bucket segments, of means for preventing the bucket segments from being opened beyond a predetermined point, and means for locking the segments while in their open position, said meansbeing confined within the outlines of the bucket itself.

2. In a grab bucket, the combination, with bucket segments, of means for preventing the bucket segments from being opened beyond a predetermined point, and means for locking and unlocking the segments while in their open position, said means being coniined within the outlines of the bucket itself.

3. In a grab bucket, the combination, with bucket segments, of holding means comprising a latch bar pivoted near the outer end of one of the bucket segments, and a keeper bar pivoted near the outer end of the opposite segment, the free ends of said barsb'eing slidably engaged, and means carried by the bars for locking the segments in their 1. Ina grab bucket, the combination, with bucket segments, of a bracket secured to one of the bucket segments, a latch bar pivotally secured to the bracket, stops carried by the latch bar, a keeper bar pivoted to the opposite segment and having its free end engageable with the stops of the latch bar for preventing the bucket from opening beyond a predetermined point, and means for locking the segments in their open position.

5. In a grab bucket, the combination, with bucket segments, of holding means comend of one of the bucket segments, and a keeper bar pivoted near the outer end of the opposite segment, the free ends of said bars being slidably engaged, means carried prising a latch bar pivoted near the outer by the bars for locking the segments in their open position, and a cam rotatable by one of the segments for resetting the holding means.

6. In a grab bucket, the combination, With bucket segments, of holding means comprising a latch bar pivoted near the outer end 01 one of the bucket segments and provided with a shoulder and keeper bar pivoted near the outer end of the opposite segment, the free ends of said bars being slidably engaged, and means carried by the bars for locking the segments in their open position, comprising a latch provided with a shoulder for engagement with theshoulder of the latch bar, when the parts are. in their locked position, means for allowing the latch to tall to its inoperative position, and means for resetting the latch.

7 In a. grab bucket, the combination, with bucket segments, of holding means comprising a latch bar pivoted near the outer end of one of the bucket segments, and a keeper bar pivoted near the outer end of the opposite segment, the free ends of said bars being slidably engaged, means carried by the bars "for locking the segments in their open position, comprising a latch engageable with the latch bar and a trigger engageable with the latch, and a cam rotatable by one of the segments and engageable with the trigger for resetting the latch.

8. In a grab bucket, the combination, with bucket segments, of holding means comprising a latch bar pivoted near the outer end of one of the bucket segments and provided with a shoulder, and a keeper bar pivoted near the outer end of the opposite segment, the free ends of said bars being slidably engaged, and means carried by the bars for locking the segments in their open position, comprising a trigger provided with a catch, a latch provided with. a hook for engagement with the catch of the trigger, the latch being also provided with a shoulder e1igage able with the shoulder of the latch bar, and means for resetting the latch.

9. In a grab bucket, the combination, with bucket segments, of holding means comprising a latch bar pivoted near the outer end of one of the bucket segments and provided with a shoulder, and a keeper bar pivoted near the outer end of the opposite segment, the free ends of said bars being slidably engaged, and means carried by the bars for locking the segments in their open position, comprising a trigger provided with a catch, a latch provided with a hook for engagement with the catch of the trigger and being also provided With a shoulder engageable with the shoulder of the latch bar, the latch being also provided with lateral flanges engageable with the under side of the keeper bar when the bucket is held open by the holding means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

FRANK H. WILLIAMS. 

